Archive for April, 2008

April 30, 2008

A few days ago I heard two different people with two very different ideas talking about the movie, Expelled. This is what one of our favorite sites, Planet Wisdom, had to say about it:

Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed
Rated PG
reviewed by Christopher Lyon

Ben Stein’s documentary about the battle in the scientific community between Intelligent Design and Darwinian evolution is NOT a debate film.

Stein mostly doesn’t try to make the case for Intelligent Design (ID) or get too deeply into the science of evolution. What he wants to do is make the case that the scientific and academic establishment is freezing out legit ID scientists from participating in the conversation. And he makes that point convincingly — especially if you were pretty sure that was true to start with. (Read rest of review. . .)

Real Quote from Review: As Bible-believing Christians, we are convinced that God created all life. Here’s my bias: I’m going to believe that no matter what. Faith in God as revealed in His Word is my first commitment. Because I’m so convinced, I believe that a thorough and free study of the scientific evidence will, in fact, eventually reveal that a designer is necessary for life to exist.

Filed under: youth worker resources, real links, real review

April 29, 2008

Shelley Adina is the author of three books that will come out this year called All About Us. It’s a fresh, great series. After reading “Fruit of My Lipstick” (book two), I wanted to check in with this author to talk about the book, about faith, and about life! Hope you love this interview as much as I did. 

Suzie: Hi Shelley, I met you first through reading advanced copies of your books (which I loved!). It’s great to meet you. Tell us a little bit about your writing journey.

Shelley: And I was thrilled to see such a great review … it made my week! I’ve been writing all my life, and have always known that was what I wanted to do. After a B.A. in Literature from the University of California, I earned an M.A. degree in Writing Popular Fiction in 2002 from Seton Hill University in Pennsylvania.

I watched with interest the meteoric popularity of a certain glitz-and-glam series that shall remain nameless, and then came a blinding moment of clarity when I … well, okay, it wasn’t that dramatic. I was eavesdropping. I overheard some women talking about their daughters’ reading material, and I could tell by their voices how distressed they were about it, yet on the other side of the coin, their girls were reading. We all want teens to be reading, right? So it was a dilemma for these parents.

A light went on in my head and I thought, “What if there was a series of books where, given similar choices and circumstances, the characters made different decisions based on their faith?” Next thing I knew, I was running for my computer! (more…)

Filed under: writing, real interviews, fashion, real links

April 26, 2008

What can one teen do?

I’m glad you asked. Did you know that a mosquito net can save a child’s life? Rebecca St. James is raising malaria awareness and telling how you can help through Compassion International.  

Rebecca St. James raises malaria awareness
Allie Martin - OneNewsNow - 4/25/2008 10:00:00 AM

Excerpt of news article: Rebecca St. James, one of the most successful female contemporary Christian music artists, is joining an effort with Compassion International in the fight against malaria.

Today is “World Malaria Day,” a day set aside to spotlight a disease that impacts millions worldwide. Malaria is a potentially fatal blood disease and is spread by infected mosquitoes. In fact, each year, 350 million to 500 million people contract malaria. More than a million people die annually from the disease, with African children under the age of five accounting for 75 percent of the deaths.

(more…)

Filed under: faith in action, Change*the*World!, celebrities, real missions, real articles, real issues

April 24, 2008

Can I tell you a secret? I hate the Gossip Girl series.

Uhh uh, Suzie, hate is such a strong word.

If I had a stronger word, I’d use it. I don’t like how it portrays youth culture, because the reality is that after working with teens for nearly two decades, I don’t recognize even one teen that I’ve met or know. It takes the problems of youth culture and wraps them in shallow characters and glitz and designer labels, glamorizing what ultimately has hurt many teens.

But I found a series recently that has the same addictive reading style, sprinkles in the same designer labels, and is set in a posh setting with fab clothes and tricky relationships. It’s well-written, fun, gently faith-filled, and to be honest, more than a little addictive. It’s the All About Us series written by Shelley Adina. (more…)

Filed under: fashion, real review

April 23, 2008

North Korean Students Arrested for Reading the Bible and Watching Bible Video CD
March 27, 2008

The Voice of the Martyrs

North Korean Students Arrested for Reading the Bible and Watching Bible Video CD

NORTH KOREA – The Voice of the Martyrs is calling on the Communist North Korean government to immediately release 10 college students in Ham Kyung Book Do Chung, North Korea, who were investigated and arrested for reading a Bible and watching a video CD about the Bible. (more…)

Filed under: persecuted church, real missions

April 23, 2008

I had lost my copy of “Real Teens, Real Issues” sometime this school year. I had kept it on a shelf at the back of my classroom. Students occasionally borrowed it so I thought I a student had borrowed it and then just forgot to
return it.

Then today I saw one of my students, Nick, reading it. I didn’t say anything because he was, one, reading and two, he was reading your book. Then the teacher next door came in and asked Nick if he was finished reading. Come to find out, my book had made its way to his classroom. He found it, read it, thought it was wonderful, and started assigning sections to students to read.

I gave him a short description of you and your testimony. I gave him the address for this website. Maybe he will get more of your books and assign more of your stories. :>)

Thanks for letting the Lord use you,

Joy C., high school teacher

Filed under: real comment

April 18, 2008

There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.  John 1:6-8 NIV

Do you ever feel like you don’t have much to offer? I don’t know if JTB (John the Baptist) felt this way, but just the other night I met someone who does. Her statement reminded me of this scripture. (more…)

Filed under: faith, real word, T. Suzanne Eller

April 17, 2008

Real Quote: Binge drinking can lead to violence, unprotected sex and not only car accidents but also falls and other serious physical mishaps.

From The Herald, Life Captured Every Day: A recent survey of seventh-, ninth- and 11th-graders in the Rock Hill school district produced some specific numbers. For example, by 11th grade, 62 percent of those surveyed said they had consumed alcohol. More than 35 percent of participants in all three grades said they have ridden in a car with someone who had been drinking. Read the rest of this editorial. (more…)

Filed under: real articles, real links, real issues